PREFACEF Potecasu, G Gurau*, M Busila1Faculty of Engineering “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galati, Domnească Street, 47, RO-800008, Galati, Romaniagheorghe.gurau@ugal.ro. This issue constitutes the Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Material Science & Engineering, UGALMAT 2018. The conference, held October 11-13 2018 in Galati Romania, was organized by “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galati, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Materials Science and Engineering.1. Preface to the UGALMAT 2018 ProceedingsUGALMAT is a traditional conference in the Romanian scientific landscape focused on advanced materials and technologies, nanomaterials and nanotechnologies. UGALMAT 2018 is in the eighth of the UGALMAT series; the first UGALMAT having been organised over sixteen years ago by the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galati.The aims of UGALMAT 2018 are to provide a platform for scientists, professors, research scholars and students, as well as industrial professionals to present their research in the filed of materials science, to exchange new ideas and to establish new relations for future collaboration.UGALMAT 2018 was attended by over 100 delegates, including outstanding scientists, as well as young researchers from representative universities and research institutes from Romania, Europe and Asia who presented 96 scientific research works involving more than 300 authors. The scientific program consisted of 4 plenary lectures, 35 oral presentations and 57 poster presentations on the three symposia: ADVANCED MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES (TMA 2018), CASTING, FROM TECHNIQUE RIGORS TO ART (ARTCAST 2018) and UGALNano8.The present edition of the UGALMAT 2018 proceedings includes 28 papers accepted after careful peer-review processing of the submitted manuscripts. The selected papers present the newest findings related to metals and alloys, composite materials and structures, surface processes and surface characterization, mathematical modelling of material processing and material properties. Other papers address research topics in advanced materials such as thin films and submicron memory alloys.We would like to thank the Scientific and Honorary Committee for their valuable assistance in organizing the scientific program. We would also like to thank the referees for their work which contributed to the high scientific standard of this issue of IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering.We acknowledge financial support offered by ours sponsors: “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galati, ArcelorMittal Galaţi, Bureau Veritas România, S.C. Myosotis S.R.L. Galaţi, S.C. Company Med S.R.L. Galati, S.C. Rulmenţi S.A. Bârlad and S.C. Iprolam S.A. Bucureşti.Finally, we would like to express our gratitude to all members of the Organizing Committee for their involvement and permanent availability to solve all the details of the conference.Editors of UGALMAT 2018Prof. Florentina PotecasuAssoc. Prof. Gheorghe GurauAssist. Prof. Mariana Busila“Dunărea de Jos” University of Galati, October 2018